Mantis (K19 Security Solutions 4)

“Coming,” she answered, getting up from the bed.

“Sorry to wake you,” he said, handing her the phone.

Alegria grabbed it from him. “Hello?”

“Hey, sweetheart,” Dutch answered.

“God, it’s good to hear your voice. I’ve been so worried.”

“Sorry I couldn’t get in touch sooner. Things in Somalia are worse than we ever could have imagined.”

“Where are you now?”

“On our way to B-Dog.”

Alegria was familiar with the former Soviet airstrip located about seventy miles north of Mogadishu. The US was dramatically expanding its military force in Somalia, and Baledogle Base was the unofficial headquarters for the teams of Special Forces operatives who were directing the nation’s shadow war.

“How long will you be there?” she asked, hoping he would say they were shipping out right away.

“Not sure at this point. We have a briefing at zero seven hundred tomorrow.”

Alegria checked her watch. Eleven in the morning here meant it was eight in the evening in Mogadishu.

“How…are you?”

“I’m fine, but my guess is what you really want to ask is how Mantis is. Here, I’ll put him on.”

“Dutch? Wait…”

“Yeah?”

“What I really want to know is how you both are.”

“Don’t worry, Flygirl. It’s all good.”

Alegria cringed. Flygirl was what Mantis had called her since they were both assigned to Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas for pilot training. He’d been a member of the squadron that had given her the call sign Alegria. Mantis called her that too, but when it was just the two of them, he either called her Manon or Flygirl.

She heard the phone shuffle and then the deep breath Mantis took before speaking.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hey.”

“Rough mission.”

“Listen—”

“I didn’t mean anything by that, Mantis. I heard it was rough, that’s all.”

“Right. Sorry. I’m pretty beat.”

“I’m glad you’re safe. Dutch too. Please tell him I’ll talk to him later.”

Alegria disconnected the call before Mantis could say anything else. Feelings warred inside of her. Just hearing his voice set her blood on fire with longing to be in his arms. Two simple words, though, had hurled them right back into the fray of misunderstanding, accusations, and the inability to communicate.

She walked into the main room of the guest house to return Onyx’s phone, but he wasn’t there.

He’d probably gone back to the main house where some of the K19 partners were gathered with each other and their families.